Taxonomic review of the Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) assifer (Eschscholtz) species-group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Abstract

The Dichotomius assifer species-group, a component of Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) is taxonomically revised. The group now contains five species: D. angeloi sp. nov. (Holotype male deposited in CEMT: BRAZIL, Minas Gerais State, Vargem Bonita, Parque Nacional Serra da Canastra. Mata de Galeria, 28º18'39"S, 46º31'30"W. 865 m a.s.l., 02.XI.2011, MF Souza leg.), and D. louzadai sp. nov. (Holotype male deposited in CEMT: BRAZIL, Minas Gerais State, Lima Duarte, Parque Estadual Ibitipoca, VI.2001, FZ Vaz-de-Mello leg.) are described; D. assifer and D. affinis are redescribed and lectotypes are designated. D. machadoi is diagnosed. Illustrations, distributional records, diagnosis and a key for identification of the species in the group are provided. Some aspects of the natural history and biogeography of species in the assifer group are also discussed.

Taxonomic review of the Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) agenor species group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)

“…The Dichotomius agenor species group has the highest diversity of any group of Luederwaldtinia that has been revised to date (Maldaner et al 2015;Nunes & Vaz-de-Mello 2013;Nunes et al 2016;Valois et al 2017). The diversity and distribution of the species of the group were poorly known, which is not surprising given the ambiguous species boundaries, incorrect identifications and inaccurate geographic records of the specimens examined.…”

Nesting strategies and disease risk in necrophagous beetles

“…A previous report showed this fragment of Atlantic Forest to have a high diversity of Scarabaeinae (Louzada & Lopes, 1997). Some of these beetle species are geographically limited to few localities, but are present in this fragment, such as the necrophagous tunnellers Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) louzadai Nunes, Carvalho, & Vaz-de-Mello, 2016(Nunes et al, 2016, and Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) bellicosus (Olivier 1789) (Edmonds & Zidek, 2010;Maldaner et al, 2017); as well as the rollers Deltochilum (Hybomidium) louzadai González-Alvarado & Vaz-de-Mello, 2014(González-Alvarado & Vaz-de-Mello, 2014 and De. (Parahyboma) furcatum (Castelnau 1840) (Almeida, Corrêa, & Grossi, 2015), the latter of which was reported as the most abundant of these necrophagous Scarabaeinae in the first study of this community (Louzada & Lopes, 1997) and remains so to this day (VSF pers.…”

Dung beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeinae) from high-altitude grasslands in São Joaquim National Park, Santa Catarina, southern Brazil

“…Coprophanaeus (M.) saphirinus is attracted to herbivorous feces (Martínez 1959), humans feces, rotten meat, rotten fruit (Almeida and Louzada 2009, 2012b, Lima et al 2015 Martínez, 1951, and Selenocopris Burmeister, 1846(Martínez 1951Vaz-de-Mello et al 2011). The subgenus Luederwaldtinia has 65 valid species assigned to 13 species-groups (Nunes and Vaz-de-Mello 2013;Maldaner et al 2015;Nunes et al 2016). Some Dichotomius species show extremely restricted distributions (Nunes and Vaz-de-Mello 2013;Maldaner et al 2015;Nunes et al 2016).…”

“…The subgenus Luederwaldtinia has 65 valid species assigned to 13 species-groups (Nunes and Vaz-de-Mello 2013;Maldaner et al 2015;Nunes et al 2016). Some Dichotomius species show extremely restricted distributions (Nunes and Vaz-de-Mello 2013;Maldaner et al 2015;Nunes et al 2016). That is the case of Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) opalescens (Felsche, 1910), the only species of this genus sampled in the SJNP so far.…”